Poll: Union divide hits record

As unions have come under fire in states across the country, the differences in opinion between how Republicans and Democrats view organized labor have grown to historic margins, a new poll shows.

Republicans and Democrats have diverged dramatically in their views toward unions over the last year. This year’s Gallup poll on labor unions, released Thursday, shows that the gap between Republicans and Democrats on labor union approval is 52 percent, up from 37 percent last year.

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Overall, only 26 percent of Republicans approve of unions, compared to 78 percent of Democrats. Last year, 34 percent of Republicans approved of unions, compared to 71 percent of Democrats.

Meanwhile, overall disapproval of labor unions remains near historic highs. A slim majority of Americans — 52 percent — approve of unions, up from a record low of 48 percent in 2009, while 42 percent of Americans disapprove of labor unions, according to Gallup. Historically the difference has been as low as 25 percent.

Gallup’s annual polling on labor unions shows that their support has fallen from a high of 75 percent in the 1950s.

Labor unions were brought to the forefront of public attention earlier this year when Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker challenged Democrats and public-sector unions over collective bargaining rights. In February, Walker proposed that government workers would lose collective bargaining rights on issues other than wages.

Just weeks ago, the public outcry led to nine recall elections that resulted in two Republicans being voted out of office.

The partisan split on unions was interpreted differently by union and anti-union organizations.

“The divide reflects the fact that organized labor is more political than ever,” said Patrick Semmens, a spokesperson for the anti-union Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. “Where once unions focused on the workplace, their focus now is politics - they get to play politics with the dues they force workers to pay. Unions have basically thrown in their lot with the Democrats. The fact that people are forced to subsidize their politics… it certainly offends people, in general.”

“Clearly, the need for a voice on the job is not a political issue, which is why there are many union members who are Republicans and why historical support of unions has not been based on partisanship,” said Alison Omens, Director of Media Outreach for the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the country. “As voters see that the people demonizing unions are the same ones pushing an extreme agenda… we expect voters to see those attacks are also dishonest.”

The Gallup poll on public opinions toward union was conducted from Aug. 11-14. This survey involved 1,008 adults, and its margin of error is plus/minus 3 percent.

Readers' Comments (78)

Who in their right mind would support the labor unions? They're power-hungry organizations that exploit their members for their own selfish gains and they use government (i.e. deadly force with a gun) to accumulate their power in unconstitutional ways. Not to mention they claim credit for things that they had no part in, such as safer working conditions and higher wages. Overall, with few exceptions they're despicable organizations.

And aside from the political side of things, labor unions only hurt workers which makes them more than pointless -- they're detrimental. What can be gained from ceding your own right to bargain on your own behalf? You might as well give up your right to speech while you're at it. It's much more beneficial to instead accumulate skills so you can market yourself to employers who even start your own business (as nearly impossible as that is in over-regulated America).

Where is the breakout between private sector unions and public service unions. I am all for plumbers, auto workers, electricians, etc having unions (prefer if they were optional) but there should not be unionized govt workers (exceptions for police and firefighters based on local preferences).

Unions have come to a place in this country where they are counterproductive to job creation. Whether it be the overstepping of the NLRB in trying to punish Boeing for locating a plant in SC, an at- will employment state, or excessive demands for salary and benefits that all but killed our auto industry during the past thirty years, unions have created an environment hostile to business that have put employees in a adversarial relationship with employers. So many jobs have gone overseas because unions have so badly elevated costs of production in this country. Democrats support unions at the expense of jobs.

"Not to mention they claim credit for things that they had no part in, such as safer working conditions and higher wages. Overall, with few exceptions they're despicable organizations."

Wow, I am becoming more and more amazed at the the conservative attempt at rewriting history from the The Great Depression to labor history.

Yes labor unions were instrumental in higher wagers, 8 hr work day, weekends, over time pay , health insurance and safer working conditions. Case in point the last mining disaster was in a NON union shop, because the union mines have regular saftey inspections.

Just remember to tell the nurse or fireman that they are despicable the next time you are in need of their services.

This article is lacking. What does it mean to "Approve of unions?" Does it mean to approve their right to exist, approve their right to negotiate, both or neiter. Also, as someone else mentioned, does the poll distinguish between private and public sector unions? It's like with regulations. Even the most staunch free marketer is unlikely to disapprove of airplane safety regulations, for instance. However, that person would likely oppose what they saw as excessive EPA regulations.

Unions have an image problem. During a time of economic turmoil when lots of folks are out of work and living on food stamps, these union people are screaming for more money and more benefits and more this and more that. More, more, more. And this time it's not the big corporations they're grinding for "more" but their fellow citizens. Even worse, the visuals are terrible. Union members act like those "hoodies" during the London riots of a few weeks ago. Whenever they march, they tear things up. Union people think it's perfectly fine to call me nasty names then turn around and expect me to fund their health care and pensions for life. This is just bad PR but greedy union people are too thick to realize it. Nope. It's just more, more, more, more, more.......

Well the GOPers are succeeding in their 30-year fight to destroy the middle-class and their decent paying jobs with benefits and make sure that every other American views these jobs like they are the plague too.

Your lack of knowledge regarding the labor history of this country is truly astounding. It would be laughable if it wasn't so pathetic.

Not my fault you can't handle the facts and reject history. You wrongly credit unions with bringing us all these things when unions have been around for over half a millennia. If unions ACTAULLY brought us these things, then we would've had all their supposed benefits sooner, now wouldn't we?

Instead, free market capitalism and advances in technology coincide exactly with all the things you wrongly credit to unions. These are just the facts and our actual history. The fact that you're trying to revise history to fit your agenda is what's pathetic.

The obscenely rich have successfully diverted rabid Republican anger to unions, those who may make a few thousand more a year and away from those who make millions and billions more a year. I wonder if the ridiculous Republicans know that the United States is also a union. They may, for they seem to be against that union, too, which is why they breed little but strife and discord and seek to destroy all unifying American institutions, like Social Security and Medicare. The only thing Republicans want to unite US is the feeling that we are only individuals and all on our lonely own.

Not my fault you can't handle the facts and reject history. You wrongly credit unions with bringing us all these things when unions have been around for over half a millennia. If unions ACTAULLY brought us these things, then we would've had all their supposed benefits sooner, now wouldn't we?

Instead, free market capitalism and advances in technology coincide exactly with all the things you wrongly credit to unions. These are just the facts and our actual history. The fact that you're trying to revise history to fit your agenda is what's pathetic.

Unions are not resonsible for Airline Safety Regulations or anything else except power and control of their members and blackmailing business and government.

The problem with your post is Airline Safety Regulations comes from a federal agency (FAA) the same agency the Repub/Tea Party mob is trying to ********. Remember just a few months ago the FAA was shut down because congress wanted to change the union voting rules? Tell me something if a Republican congress person does not vote is that automatically considers a "no" vote? If that was the case Michelle Bachmann has been voting "no" a lot.

Not my fault you can't handle the facts and reject history. You wrongly credit unions with bringing us all these things when unions have been around for over half a millennia. If unions ACTAULLY brought us these things, then we would've had all their supposed benefits sooner, now wouldn't we?

Instead, free market capitalism and advances in technology coincide exactly with all the things you wrongly credit to unions. These are just the facts and our actual history. The fact that you're trying to revise history to fit your agenda is what's pathetic.

Thank you for admitting defeat in the most pathetic, immature way that I completely expected of you. Here's an idea for next time: BRING FACTS!